The present invention relates generally to a solar energy collector and, more particularly, to a lightweight plastic solar energy collector especially adapted for use in heating swimming pool water and the like.
As a result of the recent energy crisis, and the environmental pollution problems associated with conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels for example, efforts have been recently made to explore alternate sources of energy. Accordingly, numerous types of solar heating units and collectors have been developed to harness the sun's energy. The majority of these known solar collectors are of the rigid frame or flat plate type which consist of a heat absorbing plate mounted in an enclosed rigid frame and which is covered by one or two sheets of glass. A series of tubes or conduits are brazed or soldered onto the heat-absorbing plate for circulating a liquid to be heated, such as water for example, therethrough.
While such known rigid collectors are serving the purposes for which they are intended, they are somewhat complicated in construction, requiring numerous parts which must be assembled and fabricated and which are relatively expensive to manufacture. Moreover, they are heavy and cumbersome in handling, often requiring auxiliary mounting arrangements and additional hardware, all adding materially to installation costs.